Means for preventing improper manipulation of air-brakes.



- No. 636,552. Patented Nov. 7, I899.

W. B. POTTER &. F. E. CASE. MEANS FOR PREVENTING IMPROPER NIA'NIPULATIONOF AIR BRAKES.

(Application filed. Aug. 29, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. POTTER AND FRANK E. CASE, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORSTO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR PREVENTING IMPROPER MANIPULATION 0F AIR-BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,552, dated November'7, 1899.

Application filed August 29, 1898. SerialNo. 689,747. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM B. POTTER and FRANK E. CASE, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Meansfor Preventing the Improper Manipulation of Air-Brakes, (Case No. 751,)of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its object to provide a device which shallprevent improper manipulation of air-brake apparatus upon anelectrically-propelled vehicle or train. It is manifest that in thoseinstances where an electric brake is ordinarily used it would lead tocomplication and perhaps to accident to be employing the air-brakeapparatus at the same time; and it is the object of the invention toprovide interlocking means between the electric brake and the airbrakeapparatus such that the latter can be brought into action only when nocurrent is flowing inthe electric-brake apparatus. Such an arrangementis also provided that the air-brake can be operated only after anattempt has been made to stop the train by the electric brakingapparatus. Where trains or cars are operated with both classes ofdevices, the air-brake is ordinarily used as a reserve apparatus to beoperated only on those occasions when for any reason the electric brakefails. This is the better arrangement, because the air-brake is aconsumer of energy from the central station,while the electric brake asordinarily operated either uses less energy where trolley-current is employed or in those instances where current from the motors operated asgenerators is used no energy whatever is taken from the central station.The interlock is therefore so arranged that where the electric brake isoperative the air-brake cannot be used; but when the former apparatusfails it releases the interlocking mechanism, so that the airbrake maythen be employed. To effect this, a stop is provided in the controllingdevice for the ordinary operating-lever of the airbrake and anelectromagnetic detent operated by current-flow. If the brake beoperated from the trolley, then the coil of the electromagnet would bein the trolley-circuit;

but if it be operated from any other source of power the coil would beincluded in the circuit of the latter.

The accompanying drawings show an arrangement within the invention,Figure 1 showing an air-brake apparatus and a controller with the topremoved and the interlock in position, Fig. 2 being a diagram ofcircuits.

In Fig. 1, A is the controller, of which E B are the switch-cylinders.The controller is one of a type well known in the art, in which thecylinder B, for instance, would be used for regulating thepropelling-motors and the cylinder B for actuating the electric brake.It is of course unimportant what type of controller is used, theinvention being capable of use with any preferred form. Upon the lattercylinder is fixed the cam C, having the concentric portion 0', a secondconcentric portion 0 of smaller radius, and a notch 0 the purpose ofwhich will be presently explained. Cooperating with the cam is the leverD, carrying the cam-roller d and having a slotted link connection (1with the lever F, by which the air-brake is operated. The lever F isconnected to a spring f. An electromagnet E, having a coil E, actsthrough its armature e to hold the lever D in the illustrated position.

The air-brake apparatus is well understood and need only be brieflyreferred to. The pipe G communicates with the train-pipe Gr and carriesa valve, to which the lever F is connected. K is the triple valve, I thecylinder, and II the auxiliary reservoir.

The circuits of the apparatus are shown in Fig. 2 illustrated as appliedto a trolley-operated brake. Nothing in the invention limits it,however, in this regard, and any conven ient source of braking-currentor any class of electric braking apparatus may be employed. T is thetrolley or source of current. E is, as before, the electromagnet. M isthe motor, which is geared by pinion and gear 0 O to a drum N, windingup the brake-chain N. As long as current flows in the coil E of theelectromagnet the lever D is held in its illustrated position and thelever F, controlling the airbrake mechanism,cannot be operated. When,however, the current fails in the coil E, the

spring f draws up the lever F and depresses the cam-rollerd. It ismanifest that as long as the cylinder B,carrying the cam C, remains inits illustrated position the lever F cannot move; but when the attemptis made to apply the electric brake the roller will follow the surface 0of the cam and turn on the airbrake, exhausting the train-pipe andthrowing the braking apparatus into action in the ordinary way for aservicestop. Should the occasion be urgent, however, the motorman byturning the cylinder B until the notch 0 comes under the roller wouldopen wider the air-release valve and apply the emergencystop, so called,of the air-brake, the parts then standing as shown in dotted lines. Thusif the electric braking apparatus be in order the air-brake will not beapplied; but should the former for any reason fail the same motion bywhich the engineer or motorman ordinarily operates the electric brakewill turn on the air-brake either to the ordinary or emergency position,according to the urgency of the case, without special attention on thepart of the engineer.

The cam C is so constructed and arranged that when the brake-actuatingcurrent fails the cam-lever roller willengage with the cam at such apoint that the air-brake is applied at that moment in the same degree asthe service-brake. If a further movement of the brake-handle occurs, theair-brake is applied to degrees of eifectiveness like those resultingfrom the application of the service-brake at like positions of thebrake-handle.

It is manifest that other arrangements might be devised which wouldoperate in the way outlined; but any device in which upon the failure ofthe service-brake a reservebrake of any kind is automatically throwninto action would be within the scope of this invention.

\Vhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. The combination with a service-brake and a reserve-brake, of meanswhereby the failure of the former while in operation causes the settingof the latter.

2. The combination with a service-brake and a reserve-brake, of meanswhereby the failure of the former at any time causes the setting of thelatter with the same degree of force exerted by the former at that time.

3. The combination of a servicebrake mechanism having ordinary stop andemergency-stop positions,'with a reserve-brake, and means forautomatically throwing on the reserve-brake to the extent to which theservice-brake has been actuated, if the latter for any reason, as byfailure of power, ceases to act.

at. The combination of an electric brake and an air-brake, and meanswhereby the failure of one causes the setting of the other.

5. The combination with an electric brake, of an air-brake a device foroperating each of the brakes in service and emergency positions, andmeans for preventing the operation of the air-brake until the electricbrake has become inoperative.

6. The combination with an air-brake, of an electric brake, an actuatingdevice for the two brakes, and means for preventing the actuation of theair-brake until the electric brake has become inoperative.

7. The combination with an air-brake, of an electric brake, an actuatorfor the electric brake, an actuator for the air-brake, and interlockingmechanism between the devices, such that the air-brake will be operatedwhen the electric brake becomes inoperative.

8. The combination of an electric brake and an air-brake in the sameapparatus, and interlocking means between the brakes preventing themanipulation of the air-brake until the electric brake becomesinoperative.

J. The combination in the same apparatus, of an electric brake and anair-brake, means for operating the electric brake, and means madeoperative by the failure of current in the electric-brake circuit foroperating the air-brake.

10. The combination with an electric-brake apparatus and a suitablecontrolling device, of an air-brake apparatus, and an operatinglevertherefor, with an electromagnetic stop for the air-brake lever,controlled by the current in the electric-brake circuit.

11. The combination, in a braking appara' tus, of an electric-brakeswitch, an air-release valve, and a cam on the switch determining by itsposition the extent to which the valve may be actuated.

12. The combination in a braking apparatus, of an electric-brake switch,an air-release lever, and a cam on the switch for determining the throwof the lever, having a servicestop position and a notch, c, permitting agreater throw of the valve-lever, and constituting an emergency-stop.

13. The combination with an electric service-brake, and a reserve-brake,of an actuator for said electric brake normally disconnected from saidreserve-brake, and means whereby the cessation of supply-current to theelectric brake eflfects an operative connection between saidreserve-brake and the actuator.

14:. The combination with an electric service-brake, of a reserve-brake,an actuator norm allyadapted to operate either brake, and anelectromagnet in the electric-brake-supply circuit which is adapted tomaintain said actuator disconnected from said reservebrake while currentflows to said electric brake.

15. The combination with an electric service-brake, of a reserve-brake,an actuator normallyadapted to operate either brake, and means forpreventing the operation of the reserve-brake while there is acurrent-supply for the electric brake.

16. The combination with a service-brake, of a reserve -brake, anactuator normally IIO In witness whereof we have hereunto set our handsthis 26th day of August, 1898.

WILLIAM B. POTTER. FRANK E. CASE.

Witnesses as to signature of William B. Potter:

B. B. HULL, A. F. MACDONALD. Witnesses as to signature of Frank E. Case:

A. H. ABELL, A. F. MACDONALD.

